Inspiration and Interpretation

In the autumn of 1860, a respected Oxford fellow was called to the university’s pulpit as a Select Preacher. Over a series of Sundays he offered guidance to undergraduates, drawing on years of personal counsel and a deep conviction that the study of Scripture must remain central to intellectual life. His opening address sets the tone, urging listeners to prioritize the Bible amid an age of rapid scholarly change.

The subsequent sermons confront a growing belief that modern natural science threatens the authority of divine revelation. With measured yet firm rhetoric, the preacher argues that true science includes the study of God’s Word, and he challenges the era’s tendency to elevate empirical inquiry at the expense of theological reflection. His critique is directed not at scholars of physics or chemistry, but at those who dismiss Scripture as antiquated.

For anyone curious about Victorian religious thought, these talks offer a vivid glimpse into the intellectual battles of the time—delivered in clear, compelling prose that still resonates with today’s seekers of meaning.